The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising silica, a compound in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM of a metal cation selected from the group consisting of gallium (III), chromium (II), and chromium (III), and water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 1 to about 6. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the aforementioned polishing composition.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A chemical-mechanical polishing composition consisting of: (a) condensation-polymerized silica, (b) a compound in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM of a metal cation selected from the group consisting of gallium (III), chromium (II), and chromium (III), (c) a pH adjusting agent selected from the group consisting of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, ammonium hydroxide, or potassium hydroxide, (d) optionally, a biocide, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 1 about 6.
2. The polishing composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica is present in the amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %.
3. The polishing composition of claim 1 , where the silica has a mean particle size of about 10 nm to about 80 nm.
4. The polishing composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound comprises a salt comprising an anion selected from the group consisting of acetate, chloride, nitrate, and sulfate.
5. The polishing composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound is gallium nitrate.
6. The polishing composition of claim 5 , wherein the gallium nitrate is present in a concentration of about 1 mM to about 8 mM.
7. The polishing composition of claim 1 , wherein the pH is about 2 to about 5.
8. The polishing composition of claim 7 , wherein the pH is about 2 to about 4.
9. A method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate, which method comprises: (i) providing a substrate, (ii) contacting the substrate with a polishing pad and a chemical-mechanical polishing composition consisting of: (a) condensation-polymerized silica, (b) a compound in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM of a metal cation selected from the group consisting of gallium (III), chromium (II), and chromium (III), (c) a pH adjusting agent selected from the group consisting of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, ammonium hydroxide, or potassium hydroxide, (d) optionally, a biocide, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 1 to about 6, (iii) moving the polishing pad relative to the substrate with the chemical-mechanical polishing composition therebetween, and (iv) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the silica is present in the amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %.
11. The method of claim 9 , where the silica has a mean particle size of about 10 nm to about 80 nm.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compound comprises a salt comprising an anion selected from the group consisting of acetate, chloride, nitrate, and sulfate.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compound is gallium nitrate.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the gallium nitrate is present in a concentration of about 1 mM to about 8 mM.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pH is about 2 to about 5.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pH is about 2 to about 4.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric layer.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the dielectric layer is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, carbon-doped silicon dioxide, and organically modified silicon glass.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the substrate further comprises at least one metal layer.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one metal layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, tungsten, and combinations thereof.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the substrate further comprises at least one barrier layer.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one barrier layer is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, nitrides thereof, and combinations thereof.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 21, 2006
March 10, 2009
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.